"And He charged him to tell no one..." Luke 5:14, NKJV

It was the first time anyone had been miraculously cleansed of leprosy since the time of Elisha the prophet.  Undoubtedly, the initial shock over a leper even daring to draw near to Jesus (or any public gathering for that matter) was overshadowed by the crowd's amazement that the poor soul who was "full of leprosy" (Lk. 5:12) could now go home in full health.  Jesus' compassionate touch and life-giving words turned this leper's life around.  Astounding.  Incredible.  But maybe even more surprising is what Jesus said next to the man...

And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.” Luke 5:14, NKJV

Are you serious?  Why not tell anyone?  Why not make known that the impossible is made possible through Jesus?  The healed leper must have been confused by the solemn, direct command that seemed to go against every natural impulse to publish the story all over his social media accounts so to speak.  Apparently, when he left he didn't quite stick to the script Jesus charged him with.  The report spread about the Messiah's healing ministry "all the more" and drew swelling crowds so much so that Jesus felt compelled to withdraw to the wilderness (Lk. 5:15-16).

WHY NOT?

Maybe that was why.  Jesus understood the potential impact of such a report, and in His wisdom wanted to ensure that crowds wouldn't swell beyond what would allow for consistent, effective public ministry.  In addition to His concern for effective ministry to the multitudes, Jesus was likely trying to guard the cleansed leper's new lease on life.  In order for the man to re-enter society, Jewish law required him to obtain clearance from the religious leaders who initially pronounced him unclean years before.  Knowing that these religious leaders were already antagonistic toward Himself, Jesus wanted to minimize those leaders' biases about how the man's cleansing came about so the once unclean man could be declared clean without hindrance.

A little side note here:  All this should remind us that Jesus' instructions for us often comprehend far more significance than our limited perspective.  There are times when we are clear about what Jesus wants us to do but unclear about why, unclear about His purpose.  In those seasons, I believe we can "trust in the Lord with all our heart, and lean not on our own understanding" (Prov. 3:5).  God's thoughts are way higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9), and when we choose to acknowledge that God is up to something good in all our ways -- whether we understand what that good purpose is or not -- He will make our paths straight (Prov. 3:6).

BACK TO THE WHY

Yes, when Jesus gave the former leper that solemn charge, He had in mind the progress of His public ministry and the man's individual well-being.  But there was more.  Listen to how Ellen White describes it:

"Every act of Christ's ministry was far-reaching in its purpose...While Jesus ministered to all who came to Him, He yearned to bless those who came not.  While He drew the publicans, the heathen, and the Samaritans, He longed to reach the priests and teachers who were shut in by prejudice and tradition.  He left untried no means by which they might be reached.  In sending the healed leper to the priests, He gave them a testimony calculated to disarm their prejudices" (The Desire of Ages, 265).

The redemptive purpose Jesus had in mind reached farther than the leper who dared to come that day, farther than the multitudes who would gather in future days.  Jesus' redemptive purpose was reaching to those who refused to come at all.  The shocking instructions given to the leper reveal a beautiful picture of the everlasting love of God that seeks to draw hardened hearts to Him in ways we could never imagine!  Furthermore, the far-reaching purposes of those instructions underscore this reality:

when God works in my life, He wants to bless more than just me.  

The blessings we receive from heaven in big or small ways are often calculated in God's heart to overflow and bless someone else through us...especially those who haven't yet come to Jesus.  

Question:  who does God want to bless through you and me today?  It's my prayer that we as a church would not only be receptive to the blessings God has for us but also be wide open to the opportunities He is giving us to bless those who aren't here yet.  Tonight, we'll begin a 3-night MindFit event that could very well be one of those opportunities.  Yes, it'll be a blessing to us.  Receive it gratefully and be open to the ways we can be a blessing to those who aren't yet a part of our community of faith.